Mark Time
by SilvaBells
Summary: A Marching Band AU where John Watson, the band director is forced to get a new staff. John is a single parent but will his past get in the way of his feeling for the new drum line instructor, Sherlock?
1. Chapter 1

My name is John Watson. I am a single father and I'm the band director. My band is the Purple Otters and we came in second at our state competition.

We are only a high school band but we are feared by other schools. We have a reputation to up hold and I can't do it now that my staff walked out on me. "Guys please you can't just leave me," I pleaded.

"I'm sorry John," said the drum line instructor.

"We're not going to take this crap anymore," said the color guard instructor as she packed her flags.

"You're not hurting me! You're hurting the kids! What about Hamish? It's his first year this year and he's been dying to work with you!" I begged, "What about the seniors? You can't just leave them after all these years!"

But they didn't say anything. They just got their things and left. The doors closed behind them and I was left alone in the band room.


	2. Chapter 2

Hamish ran in the car with his bag full of clothes. He was sleeping over his friend's house for the weekend. "Hey Dad," he smiled as he put his seat belt on.

"Hey Hamish," I forced a smile as we drove off.

Hamish is my son. He's 14 and a freshmen to be. His mother died so now it's just me. But it's alright.

Her and I split up before she died in the crash and she wasn't very good friends with me or anyone really before she died. She went to therapy for a long time but I guess it was just time wasted.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm excited for school," Hamish said.

"Why's that?" I asked. I was a teacher at the school and I'm not even excited and I get paid.

"I'm really excited to join band! I can finally march with you and everyone. I'll finally be a Purple Otter!"

I sighed. How could I tell him that the staff left? There won't be a marching band without them. This year isn't going to be the same.

"I have some bad news Hamish." I said. He looked at me. "The staff... They uhh..."

"What did they die in a freak marching band accident?" He joked.

"No they quit."

It took him a second. It needed to sink into his brain for him to fully process what I just said. It still was processing in my brain.

"What?" He asked. "You're lying! That's not fair! I've known them for years! They know its my first year! They can't just leave!"

"Hamish I'm sorry," I said, "I don't know what to do. I can't run a group of 80 kids by myself."

"Lord knows you can't control color guard by yourself..."

I looked over at him and saw his smart ass smirk on his face. Right then and there is when I realized that this year would be fine.


	3. Chapter 3

I sent a letter to the principle explaining my situation. Within a half an hour he said he put the job opening out and that next week I'll hold the interview.

So I waited a long week hoping that people will even apply. Most schools don't like us just because we are good. Maybe they heard about our under staff and paid out every one to not come to the interview.

It was probably Lenape! They have their same stupid show every year about American music!

I walked into the band room and found a lot of people waiting to be interviewed. They all looked at me hoping to make a good first impression.

"Hello everyone," I started and the room fell quiet. "My name is John Watson and I'm the director here. First I'll call you in one by one for the interview then you will show me what you can do all together at once."

I began to call the first bunch of people in and no one stood out to me. But then there was this girl. She couldn't have been older than 25. She had a sunglasses and glove tab line.

"My name is Irene Adler," she smiled and shook my hand.

I sat down and looked at her paper covered in years of color guard experience. "You've been doing this for quite some time now."

"Yes sir," she said "Ten years and counting."

"Have you worked anywhere as an instructor?" I asked.

"No sir, I was asked to work at Lenape but I'd like to work with a new show after a long year of the same boring thing."

I put her paper in a pile of people I need to keep my eye on.

The next bunch of people seemed boring. Nothing interesting really. Then there was this man. "Sherlock Holmes," he said as he sat down.

I looked at his paper, it was filled with many years of many different things. "What do you do?"

"I teach pit percussion, snares, bass drums, wood winds, brass, strings, color guard including air blade, saber, and rifle, marching, and I can make drill and write music," he said all with one breath as if it weren't anything special.

I couldn't even think about doing all of that. "Have you ever taught music?"

"Yes, I give violin and piano lessons out of my flat."

I looked down on his paper and it had many years in different profession Corps. "Why aren't you in the Corps. still?"

"I refuse to go anymore," he said. I raised an eye brow. "They call me a freak and it was boring."

"Boring?"

"The music was far too easy. No one knew how to play or march."

I looked up at him and his blue eyes looked back at me. If talent wasn't enough this man was beautiful. His hair was perfectly placed in dark curls.

"So which position are you applying for?" I asked.

"Drum line instructor," he said, "or pit instructor. But I'll take whatever."

"Well I'm the pit instructor so no need for that."

The interviews were done and then I took the color guard applicants out to the field. "Now I want you make a line each on each yard line and start with flags. I just want simple singles. If you drop more then twice, go home."

The applicants began to twirl and after a minute or two I said, "Now doubles." They listened and one by one a few began to leave. "45s," which meant to throw your flag on a 45 degree angle. Then after a minute only 5 were left.

"Flags down and grab an air blade." They listened and got in line. "Now spin circles and when I say spin a double."

The blades began to go and on my command they were shot up in the air and caught. I walked up to one girl. "What's your name?"

"Sally sir," she replied not taking her eyes off her blade.

"How old are you?" I asked as I looked at her hand work.

"Twenty five sir," she said losing focus from me talking to her. There was a thump and then another left. "Up," I commanded as I walked to the next girl.

"Irene was it?"

"Yes, sir," she said looking directly at me and still spinning perfectly.

"How old are you?"

"Nine teen sir."

Holy crap. "Alright stop. I'll let you know."

I grabbed the drum line applicants and pulled them out on the field too. I gave them all snares. "Play eighth notes at 100. Mess up more then twice and go home."  
I clapped out 100 beats per minutes and they began to play and after a bit some left.

"Adjust to my tempo," I said as I clapped faster. This threw people off and then after a bit there was only two.

"Keep playing at this tempo but sixteenth notes." They listened and I walked up to Sherlock.

"Sherlock, how old are you?"

"I'm 28 years old," he said looking straight ahead. I looked at his sticking. "Don't talk to Anderson," he said. I looked up at him. "He's not a musician. He'll lower your IQ."

I raised an eye brow but his expression stayed the same. Walking over to the next man I looked him down.

"You're Anderson?" I asked.

"Yes sir."

I looked at his hands and his sticking was wrong. He is holding the stick up too high and is gripping with the wrong fingers.

"Alright stop. I'll let you know."


	4. Chapter 4

"How'd the audition go?" Hamish asked from the living room floor watching a movie.

"It was an interview not an audition."

He grabbed a handful of popcorn. "It was a try out for a musical position. It's an audition."

I sat down next to him. I brought out the papers of Irene and Sherlock. "I think these two are the ones."

He put the entire hand of pop corn in his mouth and then grabbed the papers. Hamish read everything over and raised his eye brows in surprise. "This Sherlock guy must have been a prodigy."

"He's amazing. He never broke even when I told him to play sixteenths at 160."

"He's a robot," Hamish said. I smiled and got up. I kissed his head and said good night.

I left to my room. Getting changed I looked over at my bed. It's a king but I'm the only one who sleeps in it.

It used to be Mary and mine's but after she left me she just left all her stuff here. I gave everything else away. What am I to do with women clothing? I'd give her car to Hamish but she died in that crash and the car is ruined.

Everything else was pretty much "ours" and I don't know what to do with it all.


	5. Chapter 5

"Welcome all to the 2014 marching band season!" I said as I walked in the band room. The kids clapped. "As usual first lick of business is to introduce the Freshmen parade!"

All the seniors ran up to a Freshman and grabbed them by their arm. They lined up by the door an all the kids drummed on their thighs with their hands. The color guard make a bridge with their flags and sabers for the Seniors and Freshmen to walk threw.

It was a parade we did every year. We wanted everyone to know that they are equal here. Everyone is a friend and no one is better or worse. It's also a friendly haze but you know, whatever.

The Freshmen never knew about it. That's why it was so fun. All of them ran threw and when the last one came out I hit the gong.

Everyone sat down and I waited for everyone to get settled. "Welcome back everyone, and hello new faces."

"Hey," our lead trumpet, Sam, yelled out, "Where's Lauree? She hits the gong!"

"Yeah and Michael starts the parade!" Said, Rachel, a trombone player.

Everyone pitched in and put their two cents in. "Guys," I tried. "Guys." They continued. "Band to the ready!" I yelled and everyone got quiet instantly. They bowed their heads and put their hands together and made their feet shoulder width apart almost as fast. The freshmen copied the veterans.

Sherlock and Irene stood there not sure what to do.

"I have bad news," I said. They all were still silent as they should be. "Michael and Lauree... They quit."

After a second of silence a flute player, Liane, looked up. She broke attention and looked at me, "What?"

"They quit," I said not punishing her from breaking attention. Slowly one by one everyone looked up. They were scared. All of them. "There is no need to worry. We have a new staff and I think this year will be the year we win states."

"And beat Lenape?" Lauren, a cymbal player asked.

"No," I said, "We're gonna kick Lenape's stupid American ass!"

The kids laughed knowing I'm not supposed to curse but hey sometimes it just fucking slips out. Sorry.

"Alright this is our new staff," I said and looked at Sherlock and Irene.

"I'm Irene," she waved and smiled. "I'm in charge of color guard now. I'm 19 and I've been doing this for 10 years."

"Hey girl!" Olivia, a girl from color guard, waved out of the silence.

Sherlock then scanned the room. "My name is Sherlock. I'm in charge of drum line. Im 28 years old and I can help you with any musical instrument if you need help."

"You can help me with my musical instrument!" Pat, our bass player, said. He's not gay, he just likes to touch other males if you know what I mean.

Everyone laughed at him and I couldn't help but laugh a bit myself. "Alright, alright!" I said trying to calm them. "This year's show is-"

"Stupid!" Tom, a tuba play, said.

"Tom how many letters are in stupid?" I asked.

"Six," he said knowing he was right.

"Great," I said, "Six laps around Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Emma, a girl in color guard asked.

"We're doing Harry Potter this year."


	6. Chapter 6

Irene walked up to me after the band meeting. "Hey same time tomorrow?" she asked and Sherlock was behind her.

"Oh well usually the staff goes out for a drink after the first week. Talk about drill and life and whatever," I explained as I looked for a paper on my desk which was inanely messy.

"A drink?" Sherlock asked. "Is that professional?"

"Well... No it's not. But we're all friends," I said looking up them. "Aren't we?"

Irene looked down. "I'd love to. Sounds like fun and all but I'm 19 and that's not legal..."

The room fell silent. "Right then. Well I should get going," Irene said then left. Sherlock was standing in my office and it was very quiet.

"I suppose you wouldn't want to go for a drink?" I asked.

He opened his mouth to reply but then Hamish ran in. "Yo Dad, can I sleep over Sam's?"

"Uhh... S-Sure," I said. I wasn't sure if Sherlock knew Hamish was my son. "Wait which Sam? Trumpet?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Alright have fun," I said and gave him a kiss on the head and he ran out.

I watched him leave and then sat back down. The room was silent and the world seemed to match. "He's your son?" Sherlock asked.

"Uhh yeah..." I nodded and there was a shaky breath that came out. "I know he looks nothing like me. But he looks just like his mother."

"I didn't take you for a father," Sherlock said as he sat down in the chair across my desk. "You're very young to have a 14 year old," he said with a small question in the 14.

"I was 18," I explained. "But I love him." I smiled.

He either wasn't sure what to say or was thinking about how to say it. "And his mother? I don't see a ring, are you-"

"She-she died," I stated with no expression. I don't know how to feel about it anymore. He didn't say anything and I couldn't see his expression. "It was a car crash. She was rear-ended and then crashed into a poll."

The world was silent again.

Sherlock placed his hand on my back and I looked at him. He offered a smile and I smiled back. "I'm sorry," I stood up and wiped my face. "That was not professional at all."

Sherlock stood up. "No, but we're friends."


	7. Chapter 7

"What even was that?!" I yelled into my mega phone from the top level of the thrown. The thrown is a two level platform that lets me see from a judges point of view. "I thought you guys drill not ameba formations!"

They all looked down not wanting to make eye contact with me. "The only people who looked good in that was the pit and they don't even march!" I put the mega phone down and got down from the thrown.

"Now everyone put their instruments on the side lines and march it! I'll gock it out because you apparently need it!" I got on the field right on the 50 and began to hit the gock at the tempo. "Do this like we practiced earlier and then we can go on break!"

Now a gock, for those who don't know, is a block you hit and is very loud used mostly to keep tempo in large places when your band doesn't know how to.

I gocked out the whole song and then I just said they could go on break. "Be back here at 6," I said and everyone dispersed.

Irene walked up to me, "Is it alright if guard has a sectional for like a half an hour?"

"If the girls can stay then yes it's fine," I said. I began to walk towards the band room and Sherlock followed.

"You don't think you should keep the kids instead of letting them have a 5 hour break?" He asked as he looked at the kids.

"Kids can only soak up so much with out a break," I said. Hamish ran up to me with Sam.

"Hey Dad can I go over-"

"Sure just don't be late."

He smiled and the two ran off.

Sherlock didn't say anything until we were in my office. He sat down and looked at me. "You just let Hamish go where ever he wants?"

"Pretty much," I said. The room got silent and I looked up at him. His hair fell into perfect locks and his cheekbones were so perfectly placed. His eyes were the perfect mix of blue, green, and gold. His skin was perfectly plain.

"Dad," Hamish said as he walked in. He noticed me starring really hard at Sherlock and raised an eye brow and looked at him. "Can I have like a 5 or something?"

"Uh yeah sure," I said as I stood and handed him the 5 and sat back down. "Make sure the doors are locked behind you."

The entire room was silent and the only sound was Sherlock and me breathing.


	8. Chapter 8

"For Mum's birthday can we have cake?" Hamish asked from his spot on the couch as I cooked dinner. "I know it's not for awhile and that she kinda didn't leave us on a good note but it'd still be nice."

I wasn't sure I I heard him right. My brain had to register if I heard everything correctly. "Uhh sure," I nodded as I served dinner. "Do you want to have people over? A friend or two?"

"Can we invite Sherlock?" He asked. "He's new around here and he doesn't really look like the kind of guy to just make new friends."

"Alright, sure." I said, "Ill tell him next practice."

Hamish smiled as he turned to eat his food.

Hamish was only 10 when his Mum died. He was 8 when we split but he remembers as well as I do.

There was the night when she started to yell for no reason. "Did you call Hamish's school?" She asked as she was washing dishes.

"Oh no, it totally slipped my mind," I said from the couch with Hamish on the floor.

"Slipped?" She huffed. She slammed the plate down. "You don't just let these things slip John!"

"It's not that big a deal hon," I said. "I have two more weeks to do this."

She threw the plate she was washing at the wall. "Sorry it slipped!" She yelled.

Hamish covered his ears from the crash. It startled him and he doesn't do well with loud noises.

"Marry," I got up and stood in front of Hamish. "Calm down Ill call in the morning."

"You should have called this afternoon!" She yelled walking toward me.

"Mary," I said softly and grabbed her arms lightly.

"Get off of me!" She punched me right in the chest. "You can just leave until you're ready to be responsible," she said stern.

I took a breath, "Mary where is this coming from?"

"Get out!" She yelled.

Calmly I walked over to Hamish and kissed his head. I grabbed my keys and left.

Believe it or not that was only mild compared to what she has done. I got in the car and drove to my high school friend Greg and stayed there the night.


	9. Chapter 9

"Top of the show!" I yelled from the top level of the Thrown. Everyone ran into their sets and the guard reset their equipment.

"Sherlock would you mind coming up?" I asked him. Irene and him sit on the first level because they aren't convinced this is safe.

"I'm not one for heights," he said as he got up and sat down next to me.

Irene got off the Thrown and went to a guard girl who had a solo.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" I said looking at the band.

"Of course," he nodded.

"Well- this was Hamish's idea, but he uh wanted to have cake for his Mum and he uh... It's just because you're new in town, and we wanted to know if you'd like to come over for a slice," I asked as my face got red. "And it's cool if not..."

"John," he said, "We're friends. I would enjoy a slice of cake." Sherlock smiled as he looked at the band and they began to play.

I sighed and could breath again. Looking at the band I couldn't focus. What was it about this man that made me so nervous? I felt like I can never spit out my words and my thoughts are always jumbled together.

When practice was over all of the kids went home. "Dad, I'll be practicing in the cubby room," Hamish said as ran off with his instrument.

Sherlock, Irene, and I all went into my office and had a short meeting. "The guard needs cleaning I know," Irene said.

"You know how to fix it?" I asked.

"Yes sir," she said.

"That's all I need to hear," I smiled. "You can go home."

She smiled and said good night to us and then left. Sherlock sat down and so did I. Leaning over I picked up my clarinet and began to play. "You name your instrument, correct?" Sherlock said after a moment.

"Of course," I said putting it down.

"You didn't name it Clara did you?" He asked with a bit of a smile.

"No," I laughed, "Her name is Emerald." The room feel silent and I began to play again. He stood up and moved closer to my desk, placing his arse on the edge.

"When did you say cake was?" He asked.

"Saturday, after the competition, we could have dinner and some drinks too," I said trying not to blush.

"Sounds great."


End file.
